A cyclist races past traditional Chinese pavilions, with Xianghu Lake's landscape in the background. [Photo/Joni Sports]

The 2025 UCI Gran Fondo World Series — the former UCI World Cycling Tour — concluded with a bang on Sept 7 in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, attracting over 1,500 riders from nearly 30 countries and regions.

The two-day event had two stages — the Xianghu Lake Individual Time Trial (15 kilometers) and the Qiandao Lake Road Cycling Race (136 km).

It offered competitors the final chance to secure spots at the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships — held under the aegis of Switzerland-based UCI or Union Cycliste Internationale, the world cycling sport body.

The Xianghu Lake trial started at Hushan Square and included two laps around the second phase of the Xianghu Lake scenic area. Alternating flat and uphill sections linking lakeside scenery and tree-lined corridors tested the climbing ability of riders, while leaving space for sprint finishes.

The Qiandao Lake race began at Xiushui Square, covering 136 km with total climbs of around 800 meters, blending gentle lakeside stretches and challenging mountain terrain.

Approved by the world cycling body, the Gran Fondo World Series holds around 30 qualifiers each year, with only the top 25 percent in each age group advancing to the world championships.

Hangzhou's leg marked China's debut as host of the series' closing race and its first international A-class cycling event since the 2023 Asian Games — highlighting the city's profile as an international sports hub.

A line of cyclists crosses a bridge over Qiandao Lake. [Photo/Joni Sports]